


Talk it Out

by BerryBagel



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: But not that seriously, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Crack Treated Seriously, Getting Together, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 06:33:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16034948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BerryBagel/pseuds/BerryBagel
Summary: Bucky decides it's time to get over Steve.





	Talk it Out

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure this is movie-canon consistent with everything that happens before Infinity War. AU where Loki doesn't see the Tesseract and take it, so it gets destroyed by Surtur. When Thanos shows up at Asgard to get it, he also gets destroyed by Surtur. So nobody has to worry about Thanos and everyone can deal with interpersonal drama instead!

Bucky can’t help but feel that Shuri must have something better than this to do with her time.  They’ve been sitting in the lab for a good half hour? -Hour?- Too long, really, swiping away at Bucky’s phone.  He doesn’t really have anywhere else he needs to be. The goats don’t have to be fed for another few hours, so his afternoon is wide open.  But Shuri could be preparing tech for the new research hospital. Or working out the bugs in the new cloaking software. Or...really anything else would be more productive than trying to find Bucky a date on some hookup app.

 

“This one could be good, he-” She starts in optimistically, as Bucky reflexively swipes left on another picture of a guy holding up a fish.  She sighs. “Have you matched with  _ anyone _ ?”

 

“No.” A picture of a scowling man, flexing.   _ Swipe _ .  A girl pouting at the camera.   _ Swipe _ .

 

“Have you swiped right on anyone?” She asks.

 

“No.” He admits.

 

“Seriously, I could set you up with someone.  This doesn’t seem like an effective use of time.” She says.  Frankly, she’s absolutely right.

 

“No, this is good for me.  I would have been all over something like this, back in the 40’s.  Gotta...get back to my old self.” Bucky says. Back to a new girl every week.  Maybe mix a few guys into the lineup, because, hell, he’s in the future now.

 

Although, really, some things never change.

 

“You sure?” Shuri side-eyes him.

 

“Yep.” Guy holding a large mug of beer.   _ Swipe _ .  Girl with a nose piercing.   _ Swipe _ .  Because anyone Shuri personally knows is someone Steve could conceivably someday meet.  And Steve can never, never find out about this.

 

If Steve knew he was dating again, Steve would start suggesting double dates, or introducing friends, or even just hang around and be generally encouraging, which might be worst of all.  Steve being around makes it impossible to get back into the swing of casual dating. Steve being around makes it impossible for Bucky to get over Steve.

 

Whatever combination of repression and denial he’d been on back in the day had sure been a helluva drug.  He’d had himself so convinced he felt totally platonic toward Steve.

 

Well, usually.  He remembers seeing Steve with Peggy, and feeling his heart drop into his stomach.  Or...maybe before that? When Steve saved him, the first time, and he actually felt like life could be okay again.  Or, hell, even before that, when Steve had picked some fight with a kid twice his size but never backed down.  _ Was it worth it? _ Bucky remembers asking Steve, bandaging his hand.  He doesn’t remember Steve’s exact response, but he remembers how forcefully it began with  _ absolutely _ .

 

Bucky saw a tabloid cover last week with Steve and Sharon on the cover.

 

_ Captain America Engaged? _

 

He had texted a picture of it to Steve.  Steve almost immediately texted back a string of laughing emojis, which was reassuring.  The photo on the tabloid cover had looked like an old one, anyways. Bucky liked to think Steve would tell him before doing something like that, but you never know.  Steve had been on a string of highly covert missions. They hadn’t been talking as much recently, and the times they had talked were sort of...weird.

 

At any rate, the tabloid cover was a wake-up call.  It was time for Bucky to get over Steve.

 

Shuri brings him out of his thoughts.  “How about this one? He looks like your type.  Tall, muscular, and blond.”

 

Bucky looks down at the phone again.  The guy in the picture is  _ built _ .  Nice smile, too.  There’s another man in the picture, who must be telling a joke, because mister tall-and-blond has his head thrown back laughing.  But there’s something about the guy Bucky can’t quite place. “Does he look familiar to you?”

 

“Mmm...no.” Shuri says.  Bucky swipes right.

 

* * *

**It’s A Match!**

 

**New Message from Bucky[1]**

_ is that you on the left _

 

Unbelievable.  Had this fool not scrolled through  _ any _ of his other photos?

 

_ No, that’s my brother.  I’m on the right. _

 

Almost immediately there’s a response.

 

**New Message from Bucky[1]**

_ not a very strong family resemblance _

 

Loki scowls at his phone.  Maybe he should just crop Thor out of the picture, for future usage.

 

“Are you alright, brother?” Thor asks him from across the room.  Of course, ‘across the room’ is, in this case, about ten feet away.  The ship cannot land soon enough. Loki hasn’t stabbed Thor in...probably a year or two, but he can’t promise to maintain that streak if they have to stay in such close quarters much longer.

 

“Fine.” Loki assures him with a grimace.

 

Thor is, somehow, not getting cabin fever, which is astounding since Loki has literally never seen him sit still for more than ten minutes.

 

Thor is lounging on a couch with his feet up, Banner leaning against one giant shoulder.  Valkyrie is draped across the two of them, drinking something that Loki would have identified as rocket fuel from the smell.  Loki isn’t entirely certain what the nature of those three’s relationship is, exactly.  But they’ve all set up camp in the master bedroom and he’s had to sleep in a twin bed for the last two weeks.

 

He should’ve stayed on Sakaar.  Never had to sleep in a twin bed on Sakaar.  Hela could’ve obliterated all three of them and all of Asgard besides, see if he cared.

 

He looks back down at his phone.  He’s tempted to send a snippy message and unmatch, but he’ll be damned if this guy doesn’t put most Midgardians to shame.  Loki isn’t entirely above occasionally putting his pride aside for the sake of getting dicked down. So he sends a slightly less snippy message (still snippy, just,  _ less _ snippy) and then asks to meet up.  He gets a response pretty quickly asking what day and time.

 

“I called Earth today, to inform the Avengers of our impending arrival.” Thor announces.

 

“How’d that go?” Loki returned to Midgard briefly a year ago, in the interest of casting for his play.  He recalls hearing the Avengers broke up. It’s possible he forgot to mention that to Thor.

 

“Well, not great.  But! I spoke with Steven Rogers, and we’re going to meet on Friday, once we arrive back on Earth.  He’s going to invite all the Avengers he can find!” Thor says.

 

“Well, enjoy that.” Loki says.

 

“You should come, too!” Thor says.

 

“I won't be attending.” Loki looks back at his phone. “I’ve got plans for that night already.” He says, messaging a date and time.

 

* * *

Nat and Sam are eating dinner in the hotel room when Steve wanders in with his cell phone pressed to his ear.  He has a weird expression on his face, so he’s probably talking to Bucky. Things sort of seem like they’ve been weird between Steve and Bucky for a while.  Steve’s probably making it weird, Nat thinks. Ever since he broke up with Sharon he’s been acting bizarre. Scratch that, Steve has been acting weird ever since Bucky came back out of cryo.

 

“No,  _ of course _ you’re welcome to come.  You’ll love Thor. He’s great.  Friendly guy.”

 

Steve frowns into the receiver.

 

“Plans?  Like a date?..................No, no, that’s great!” Steve says.  He looks like a kicked puppy, but to his credit, does manage to sound excited and happy.  “Alright, well, tell me how it goes, you’ll have to introduce me to her if things go well…………………... _him?_.........................No, obviously that’s okay with me…………………………………….sure, I’ll say hi to Sharon for you.  Bye.”

 

Nat exchanges a look with Sam.  “We made grilled cheese while you were out.  You want one?” Sam asks.

 

“No, no thanks.” Steve says, dejectedly sinking into a chair.  That’s a bad sign. This hotel is the nicest place they’ve stayed in months, and this grilled cheese is the first food they’ve eaten in months that isn’t dried or squeezed out of a tube.

 

Steve stares at the wall while Nat and Sam eat their grilled cheese in silence.

 

“Thor radioed in today." Steve finally says.  "He said he’s coming to Earth, with all of Asgard.  We’re going to meet on Friday, he said he could explain the whole story then.”  


 

“All of Asgard?  Why would they want to come here?” Nat asks.

 

“Not sure, but he said I should round up all the Avengers I can, so you’re both invited to come find out.” Steve says. “I was just talking to Bucky.  He can’t come.”

 

Sam takes a bite of his sandwich.  “Well, he isn’t really an Avenger anyways, so-” Nat kicks him under the table.

 

“He said he has a date that night.” Steve says.

 

“Hm.  I’ve told you before.  You should tell him how you feel.” Sam says.

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”  Steve says.

 

“Yes you do.  Call him back. I’m gonna go see if the hotel has a pool.  Nat, want to come along?” Sam asks, picking up the remainder of his sandwich and getting up from the table.  Nat looks at Steve, then back to Sam.  


 

“Sure, give me a second and I’ll grab my stuff.  Steve, Sam is right. I bet Bucky would drop that date in a second if he knew you were interested.” Nat says.

 

“I’m  _ not _ interested.” Steve protests weakly, staring at his phone.

 

* * *

 

“Steven!” Thor exclaims as the communication link connects.  Always a welcome face, but not an expected one. “Your coordinates have shifted quite a bit since we last spoke!”

 

The com link projects the likeness of Steve from the shoulders up.  He still seems to be doing well. In fact, Thor would hazard to say that the captain seems  _ better _ , somehow, than he was yesterday when they spoke.  Steve isn’t visibly wearing a shirt, which strikes Thor as a bit strange.  Looks a little sweaty, also strange. But his new beard does look great!

 

Steve smiles sheepishly.  “Yeah, plans changed a bit.  I ended up taking an overnight flight to Wakanda.”

 

Thor nods, having no idea what or where Wakanda is.

 

Steve clarifies.  “A country in Africa.”

 

“Africa!  We’re dropping off Loki in Africa this afternoon.  Perhaps you’ll see him while he’s there!” Thor says.

 

“Loki is with you?  And you’re just going to  _ drop him off _ on Africa?” Steve looks concerned.

 

Thor gives him an encouraging face.  “Well, yes. We couldn’t very well leave him in Asgard.  It’s a torched hellscape! And Loki’s good now. Well, better, at least.  I’ll explain the whole story tonight.”

 

“Well, that’s the thing I’m calling about.  If I...wasn’t...able to make it tonight, would that be alright?  Nat’s got most of the other Avengers willing to help you guys out when you land -and if you do need my help I can absolutely catch another flight and come-” Steve starts.

 

“Not to worry.  We have a nice cliff in Norway all picked out to land on, so we shouldn’t have any problems.  I wouldn’t want to interfere with your mission.” Thor says.

 

“Well...not really a  _ mission _ ...more of a personal thing that came up” Steve trails off and looks away from the com link.  His face visibly lights up.

 

“Are you talking to yourself?” Someone asks Steve from off-screen.

 

“I called Thor.  Had to let him know I wouldn’t be able to help with the Asgardian move-in for a day or two.” Steve explains to the offscreen person, grinning broadly.  “Get over here, I’ll introduce you.”

 

“Hello!” Thor says to the offscreen disembodied voice.  Any friend of Steve’s is a friend of his.

 

“Yeah sure…” Thor hears, and sees a dark-haired man move slightly into the camera frame.  The man immediately leaps back out of shot. “Jesus, it’s a  _ video _ call?  Thanks, asshole, lemme go find my pants.”

 

Steve looks back at the camera as the grumbling voice grows fainter.  He looks...relaxed. Steve has  _ never  _ looked relaxed, that Thor can recall.  “I figure I’ve probably earned a few personal days over the last few years?”

 

“You have!” Thor assures him.  “I look forward to seeing you once Asgard is settled.  But for now, by all means, go...do your personal thing.”

 

Steve gives him a knowing look. “I intend to.  It was good talking to you, Thor.”

 

The com link disconnects, and Thor settles back into his chair.  He’s not sure what’s going on, exactly, but it seems like everything is fine.

 

* * *

 

Steve is all for the technology of the modern age, but he maintains that there are some conversations that you’re just meant to have in person.  The  _ I’m in love with you, and have been for the past eighty years _ conversation?  That’s one of them.

 

The  _ me too, you idiot, how could you not know that _ conversation?  Also much better in person.

 

The following several hours of unbelievably cathartic sex?  Probably wouldn’t have happened over a phone call.

 

It’s early evening now.  He and Bucky are sitting on the couch, exhausted.  There’s a movie on. It’s not an uncommon occurrence.  Whenever Steve visits, they usually watch a movie or two.  They’ve got a bunch to catch up on. So they’ve spent a lot of time next to each other on this couch.

 

But this is better, because as much time as they’ve spent next to each other on this couch, it’s always been at an arm’s length away.  Or occasionally with shoulders bumping, but only briefly and strictly by accident.

 

Now, Steve can sit as close as he wants.  So he does. He can wrap his arms around Bucky’s waist and nestle his face into Bucky’s neck.  And although Bucky complains about Steve’s beard being itchy, he still hauls Steve closer.

 

Bucky’s cell phone buzzes on the table next to them.

 

“Shit, I’ve gotta cancel my date.” Bucky says.  They both laugh, because was it really just yesterday Bucky made those plans?

 

“You’re gonna break his heart.” Steve says, eyes closed, unable to actually feel bad at all.

 

“Probably.  But I think he’ll get over it.” Bucky types up a quick apology.  “I’m sure Loki will be able to find someone else.”

  
Steve’s eyes snap open.  “ _ What? _ ”


End file.
